Cinderella-PJO Style
by MagicSofia
Summary: AU. Nico has spent all his live working for his stepmother, Persephone, and being ordered around by his stepsisters Rachel and Annabeth. However, what will happen when a certain prince organises a ball to choose a new princess? Contains slash. Don't like, don't read. Rated T for Grimm fairytale.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is my first story, so sorry if it sucks (which I hope it won't). Contains slash (Boy\Boy). Don't like, don't read. By the way, I don't own either PJO or Cinderella (actually, nobody really owns Cinderella except for the Grimm Brothers maybe). Anyway, enough of this. Read on ****!**

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Chapter 1

Hades and Maria di Angelo were a cheerful couple, who lived happily with their daughter, Bianca. Two years after Bianca's birth, Maria got pregnant again. This time, it was little boy, whom they named Nico. Maria, however, didn't live to see her youngest child grow up, for she died soon after his birth.

Hades had loved Maria very much, and felt extremely sad with her death. If it weren't for his children, whom he loved almost as much as Maria, no one knows what would have happened. His children couldn't be left motherless, so he married a girl he had once been in love with before he met Maria. Her name was Persephone. With her, Hades had two baby girls. Their names were Rachel and Annabeth.

Rumors, however, said he felt no love for Persephone or her daughters, and that he would spend all day looking out of the window, dreaming of Maria. His daughter, Bianca, was the only person that could make him smile. Persephone soon became jealous, for Hades never paid attention to Persephone's children. One day, when Hades went into Bianca's room to wake her up, he found her lying dead on her bed. After that, no one ever saw him again. Some say he committed suicide so that he could be reunited with his wife and daughter.

Persephone became quite rich after her husband's death, for all his money had gone to her. Her daughters, Rachel and Annabeth, grew up spoilt, for their mother would give them anything they wanted. Little Nico, however, received none of the cares his stepmother had with his stepsisters. Nico reminded Persephone too much of his sister, so she made him work as a servant in the house. Every day, Nico would wake up early to do all the housework, from laundry to cooking to gardening. Rachel and Annabeth, following their mother's example, soon started to despise Nico as well.

-Nico! I _told_ you I needed this dress ready for today! Luke's coming over in three hours and I have nothing to wear! Can't you get _anything_ right?

-I can't find my scarlet pencil! How am I supposed to paint a lemon tree without a scarlet pencil? Nico, you stupid boy, where is my pencil? Mom, Nico forgot to get me a scarlet pencil!

And so on. So while Annabeth and Rachel grew up cared for and spoilt, poor Nico grew up lonely and uncared for.

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**So, that's the first chapter done. Too boring****? Too unoriginal (I****'m not even sure that words exists.) ? Too short**** (It is actually is too short, now that I think about it, but this is just a prologue ,kind of.)?. ****Tell me in the reviews! Virtual cookies will be given to everybody that reviews ****! **

**Magic_Sofia**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, here I am again. Blue cookies to everyone that is reading this (::) (::)! Again, I don't own either PJO or Cinderella. Now, let's go on with the story.**

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Chapter 2

-Hamburgers _again_? We ate that like two days ago!

-Actually, it was one week ago. Two days ago we had a _risotto_.

-Rachel wasn't talking to you, _boy_. And we already told you like a million times that we hate hamburgers.

-The sauce always spoils our dresses. And drawings.

-And books.

- Maybe you should eat less like pigs and more like humans.-Nico muttered under his breath.

-What did you say?—Rachel asked.

-I said that if you like your books and drawings so much then maybe you shouldn`t bring them to the table.

Annabeth and Rachel glared at him.

-Who do you think you are to tell us what to do?—said Annabeth—You don't even know how to read. In fact, you aren't even supposed to be eating with us! Go fix my dress or something.

Nico got up and walked away. He knew it was no use arguing with his stepsisters. Also, he was dyslexic. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't read. He went to the garden and sat under a tree. He wished Bianca was still alive. She wouldn't shout at him or boss him around. In fact, she was the only person in the world that was nice to him. Nobody else was ever nice to him. Girls carried on walking giggling or with a disgusted look on their faces when he tried to be kind with them. Boys threw rocks at him and called him names. Even animals would avoid him. Nico started crying.

-Oh great. As if the fact that he had to sit right under my tree wasn't enough, now he's crying. Life couldn't possibly get worse.

Nico looked around him, but he didn't see anyone.

-On top of the tree! Seriously, why do people never look up?

Nico looked at the tree and saw a black crow looking down at him.

-You can talk?

-No, I can just move my beak and make sounds. Of course I can talk, boy!

Nico stared at the crow with his mouth open. The crow had just talked to him! Normally, he wouldn't have cared about the crow's rudeness. That was how practically everyone talked to him. However, today his stepsisters had shouted at him five times and he really felt like punching the crow's feathery face.

-Sorry Mr. Crow. I'll just kill myself to make your life easier.—Nico said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He mentally cursed as he started crying again.

The crow's expression got softer.

-Don't cry kid. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just that humans really annoy me. Also, my name isn't "Mr. Crow". It's Thalia. So, boy, what's your problem?

Nico told Thalia about his life and how he missed his sister and how miserable he felt. He knew that telling strangers (especially if they are rude crows named Thalia) about his life wasn't a sensible thing to do, but he was too miserable to care. Besides, he was almost sure that Thalia was just a hallucination.

-Bianca…-Thalia said- Did she have long black hair and a green dress?

-Yes.

-Well, my nest is quite close to the cemetery and some nights I see a girl who looks just like that wandering around. If you're lucky, which by what you just told me is very unlikely, maybe that girl is your sister's ghost. You can go with me to the cemetery at midnight to see her. That is, if you're brave enough and you believe in ghosts.

Nico, once again, stared at the ghost in amazement. Before she died, Bianca used to tell him stories about ghosts and magic, and he used to believe in them. Of course, he was far too old to believe in ghosts now. But if what Thalia was saying was true… Nico would give everything to see his sister again. He agreed to meet Thalia at quarter to midnight on the garden so they could go to the cemetery and went back inside to finish washing the dishes.

Rachel and Annabeth each swore at him two times that afternoon, but Nico was too busy thinking about his sister to care. He didn't even sigh when he found out that he had to sew Annabeth's dress for the third time that month because of another fight she had with her sister. As soon as the girls went to sleep, Nico sat in chair where he could see the clock and started counting the minutes before he would hopefully met his sister again.

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-Dad! I'm just seventeen!

-These are dangerous times for our kingdom, Percy. A war between our country and the Titans' land could break out any day. For all we know, I could die tomorrow.

-You know that's not true. Athena, our chief counselor, said the chances of a Titan attack are smaller than the chances of a flying turtle. You just want me to marry to please our kingdom. My life is like a TV show!

Poseidon sighed.

-Percy, you're the heir to the throne. That means a lot of responsibilities. Our people need you to be good example.

-I know Dad, you tell me that every day! How do you expect me to marry a girl if I can't even date? Besides, it's not like I meet many girls. And all the girls I meet are snobby and boring. The only interesting girls I meet are from enemy kingdoms!

-We can't have you marrying enemy girls Percy. However, I can organize a ball…

-Another one? All the girls I meet in those just want to marry me because I'm the prince!

-Just try to be nice, Percy. You'll have to marry someone sooner or later.

King Poseidon left, leaving Percy alone in his room.

-. I didn't ask to be a prince. All I want is to be a normal boy.—Percy said with a sigh.

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**And that's the second chapter done. There probably aren't many people reading this, but if you are leave a review. Otherwise Thalia will peck your eyes out. And, on that happy note, goodbye.**

**Magic_Sofia**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Another chapter for you! I don't own either PJO or Cinderella by the way.**

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-So, I see you've come.—said Thalia.

-Actually, I've been here for thirty minutes.—replied Nico.

-Don't know why you did that if I told you we would meet at quarter to midnight. Humans are so weird. Anyway, follow me.

Thalia flew down from the tree where she had been perched and started flying towards the cemetery. Nico had to run to keep up with her. They kept going until they reached the cemetery, where Thalia landed in a tombstone.

-I'll stay here and wait for you. The girl usually appears over there, close to that statue of an angel. Also, if you don't came back in an hour I'll take you for dead and leave.

Nico, however, almost didn't hear Thalia's last sentence, for he had started running when she said "angel". Though he was almost sure he heard Thalia muttering something about "stupid human boys". But when he arrived at the statue he immediately forgot everything. He felt her before he saw her. A warm feeling, with a taste of cold too. Soon he saw her. She was paler than Nico had ever seen her and she was wearing the same green dress she was using when she died. He just stood there, unable to move, as Bianca's ghost approached him.

-Hi _fratellino_.—She said with a smile on her face.

-Bianca?

-I've missed you so much. I would have gone to see you every night, but I can't leave this cemetery. And you haven't stepped in here since my funeral. How have you been?

Nico ran to hug her, but he passed right through her. Bianca laughed, the same laugh that he had missed so much. Nico couldn't help it, he started crying.

-_Non piangere,_ Nico. I'm here; you can come visit me all the nights. Tell me though, how you've been for this past years.

Nico wiped his tears and told Bianca everything that had happened since her death. They also talked of small, common things, joked around and played some of the games they used to play when Bianca was still alive. Nico felt happy for the first time in many years. When he started yawning, Bianca told him to go to sleep, or otherwise their stepmother would notice he went out at night. They said goodbye and promised to see each other again tomorrow.

-It's been almost two hours.

Nico raised his head. He had completely forgotten about Thalia.

-Then why are you still here?

-I wanted to see what you looked like dead.

Nico rolled his eyes and yawned.

-Thanks for waiting for me, Thals.

-You better be. I missed precious hours of sleep waiting for you!

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Nico went to see his sister the next night. And the next. And the one after that. Soon, visiting his sister became a part of his live. One of the best parts, actually. The other one, surprisingly, was talking to Thalia. His only friends were his sister's ghost and a talking crow. His life sure was weird.

-Hide!—Thalia shouted and flew behind a tombstone.

Nico had been too distracted by his thoughts and it took him some moments to realize what had happened. When he finally saw the boy that was walking towards him, it was too late.

-What are you doing awake at this hour in the cemetery?

The boy was at least three years older than Nico and, judging by his clothes, way richer. Nico felt all the color drain from his face. If that boy told Persephone that he spent his nights in the cemetery, that would be the last he would see of his sister.

-Don't look so scared. I'm not going to tell on you or anything. In fact, if I told anyone about this _I_ would be the one to get in trouble.—the boy laughed. His voice sounded familiar, but Nico couldn't remember where he knew him from.

-Anyway, what are you doing here anyway? Just so I know. I'm here to escape from reality.

-I'm…umm…talking to ghosts.—Nico wanted to punch himself as soon as he said that. How stupid was he?

The boy, surprisingly, didn't laugh.

-Any ghost in special?

-My sister's.

-Oh. Well, if I stay out any longer someone will surely notice that I'm missing. See you later, Ghost Boy.

The boy then waved at him and walked away. Nico could swear he had seen a smile on his face when he had called him Ghost Boy. But a real smile, like when Bianca smiled at him. Speaking of Bianca, he had told that boy about her. What was wrong with him?

Thalia chose that moment to reappear. She was laughing so hard she almost couldn't fly.

-What's so funny?

-Little Nico likes someone…-she said in the most irritating sing-song voice ever.

-What?

-Come on, you can't deny it! You freaking _blushed_ when he spoke to you.

-Thalia, the person I just spoke to was a _boy_.

-So? I've already dated girls. Way nicer than dating boys, by the way.

Nico shook his head. He didn't know about birds, but human boys always dated human girls and vice versa. Still, that boy… Stop it. He'd only talked to the boy for less than 2 minutes and he hadn't even seen his face! He was obviously way too tired.

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**And that's the end of the chapter. Please review and let me know what you think of the story. Also, FaultSpotter, I think you misread something… She died after the smile part. That's all for now, folks :)**

**Magic_Sofia**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**And here's chapter 4. Hope you enjoy it. :) Sorry for taking so long. PS: I don't own PJO or Cinderella.**

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-Percy! Where the hell were you? I've been looking for you for ages!

-Calm down Grover! It's not like I ran away or anything, I just wanted to get some fresh air so I went for a walk.

-Percy, you're the _heir to the throne_, you can't just go for a walk! Do you know how many people want you dead? Did anyone _see_ you?

Percy hesitated. However, he was almost completely sure that Ghost Boy hadn't recognized him, and there was no use worrying Grover.

- Nope. By the way, when is the ball going to happen?

Grover sighed.

- In a week. Also, we thought of inviting some boys too, so the girls' attention won't be concentrated completely on you.

-I'm the _prince_, Grover. No matter how many boys there are going to be, their attention will always be focused on me.

-What about a masked ball? No one will know who you are.

-That's the best idea I've heard this year. Grover, you're the best friend ever.

Percy somehow managed to smile and yawn at the same time. Grover laughed. Maybe this ball would work. Gods know how much good a girl would be to Percy. Or to the whole kingdom, in fact. Ever since Queen Sally had died, the royal family had been composed just of boys. Grover couldn't wait for a princess.

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Persephone looked with interest at the notice on the wall. The prince would be organising a masked ball for all the young boys and girls of the region. She thought of one of her daughters, Annabeth perhaps, becoming the kingdom's new princess and later queen. Rachel would marry a wealthy noble boy, maybe a duke.

She smiled and ordered her driver to take her quickly to her house. She had one week to sew the most beautiful and amazing costumes ever for her daughters.

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-Hey Thalia, have you heard about the ball?

Thalia was accompanying Nico while he was buying different types of fabrics in the stores. Apparently everybody had had the same idea Persephone had had, so they had been waiting on the queue for twenty minutes already.

-There are posters everywhere, it's the only thing people talk about and right now you're buying fabrics for your sisters' costumes, but no, I haven't heard about it.

Nico rolled his eyes.

-You don't need to be so rude all the time, you know. I wish I could go to the ball, but I don't have a costume and no way is Persephone sewing one for me.

-What the hell do you want to go to the ball for? Practically everyone in this freaking town despises you. You could go to the ball dressed in the finest suit and people will compliment you on your costume of stupid loser. In fact-

Thalia shut up as soon a she looked at Nico, who was glaring at her so hard that, if looks could kill, Thalia would be crow powder.

- If you don't shut up, I swear I'll cut your wings off and feed you to the hounds.

His voice cracked a bit in the last word and Nico mentally cursed. Thalia mumbled something that sounded vaguely like an apology.

-The whole point of this ball is the fact it's a _masked_ ball.-Nico said- People won't recognize me and maybe I'll actually find someone who is nice to me for a change.

He looked pointedly at Thalia, who sighed.

-Well, you're visiting your sister tonight, aren't you? Maybe she'll be able to help you.

-Maybe.

Nico didn't really believe that though. He knew Thalia was just trying to make up for being rude. He walked up to the counter, ignoring the looks people were giving him and Thalia and ordered the fabrics. Despite not having any hopes that his sister could help him with the ball, he still looked forward to visiting her.

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- _Buona notte_ Nico.

- '_notte_ Bianca.

- What's wrong with you? You seem sad. Does it have anything to do with the person you meet outside the cemetery?

Nico sighed. Thalia, who had long ago ceased to be afraid to go into the cemetery, had told Thalia about Nico's meeting. Curiously though, she hadn't specified the gender of the person Nico had met.

- It doesn't have anything to do with that! I didn't even see the person's face, for goodness' sake!

Bianca giggled.

-What is it then?

-The prince is organising a masked ball for all the young people in the kingdom and I really want to go, but I don 't have a costume to go with.

Bianca thought for a moment.

-The gravedigger is going to be away for the next two months, I guess he won't mind if you borrow some of his clothes. I'll tell you what we'll do. As soon as Persephone and her daughters get into the carriage that will take them to the prince's palace, you come here. They always leave rather early, so there'll be plenty of time to get you ready for the ball.

- Someone will probably see me came here and tell Persephone. I'll just take the clothes with me and put them on as soon as they leave. It's not like I need hours to get ready like Rachel and Annabeth.

-Nonsense. Everyone will be too busy with the ball to notice you. Persephone will surely find the clothes if you take them home with you. Besides, I want to get you ready for the ball. You have to look handsome. What if you meet your special someone at the ball?

-Bianca! I'm not going to meet my "special someone" at the ball!

Thalia chose that moment to fly in.

-However rare, miracles _do_ happen Nicky.

-Don't call me Nicky!

-Let's make a deal. I'll stop calling you Nicky if you do what your sister says.

Nico sighed.

-Okay, you win.

Both Bianca and Thalia could see Nico smiling in the dark.

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**And that's the end of Chapter 4. Hope you liked it. I'll be posting once a week or so from now on. Also, I'd like to thank Percypotterluvah for the awesome review. It really made my day. So guys, please review. It helps me write faster :)**

**Magic_Sofia**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

-Where did you hide my necklace, Annabeth?

-I didn't get it! You're the one that's hiding it so that you can get _my_ necklace.

Rachel was wearing a red, orange and yellow dress that resembled fire. Her hair was loose and she was wearing ruby earrings that were supposed to match her missing necklace. Annabeth was snow. Her dress was white and light blue and she was wearing a blue tiara. Her earrings were made of lapis azuli, like her necklace. They both looked stunning.

Twenty minutes and a lapis azuli necklace later they were both on the carriage with Persephone ready to go. While the carriage drove away, Nico could swear that he saw Persephone turn around and glare at him. He didn't think too much about it though, for as soon as they turned the corner he started running towards the cemetery.

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-Stay still Nicky.

-Don't call me Nicky! And I _am_ still, you're the one that's pulling my hair with that comb.

-Just don't move your head. I'm almost finished.

-You said that half an hour ago.- Nico mumbled

Bianca rolled her eyes.

-And…there. Finished. Wait there while I go get your clothes.

Bianca floated out of the room. Nico raised a hand to his head. There was something pulling his hair on the back of his head.

-Don't, you'll ruin it. You look nice with those little braids on your hair.

Nico turned to Thalia.

-Braids? There are _braids _in my hair? Why the hell are there braids in my hair?

-Your sister didn't tell you? She couldn't find the gravedigger's clothes. She did, however, find a rather nice black dress that must have been his daughter's. Did you know that the gravedigger had a daughter that died when she was about your age?

Nico stared at Thalia with his mouth open.

-I found it quite curious too. It must be quite depressing working somewhere where you are always reminded of your daughter's death. But then, working as a gravedigger must be depressing already without adding the dead daughter part.

-Here is your costume Nico.

While Thalia had been talking, Bianca had arrived. She had brought a long black dress with spirals on the bottom. There was also a small simple black mask, similar to the venetian ones. A pair of delicate black shoes that seemed to be made of shadows completed the outfit.

-I'm not wearing that. There is no way I am going to the ball dressed as a _girl._

-You won't be dressed as a girl, Nicky; you'll be dressed as darkness. Of course, everyone will assume you are a girl. Which is good, for that means no one will recognise you.

-No, no and no. Also, I already told you not to call me Nicky.

-Listen boy, do you or do you not want to go to the ball? Because this is your only chance. And it won't come back again no matter how hard you wish.

Nico looked from Thalia to Bianca and sighed.

-Look, supposing I agreed to go to the ball dressed as a girl, they'd know I was a boy in an instant. Also, while we're in the topic of flaws, I need a carriage to go to the ball.

-Well, being a ghost does give you a bit of power. Not enough for cursing Persephone and her daughters with anything worse than a cold but enough to make others think you're a girl for a limited amount of time. Also, if Thalia would kindly lend me a feather, I can make a provisory carriage.

Thalia, who seemed to have been expecting her cue, plucked one of her feathers with her beak and gave it to Bianca.

-Everything will only last until the clock strikes twelve though, so you better hurry.

Nico sighed again.

-Okay, you win. I'll go to the ball dressed as darkness.

Bianca smiled.

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The carriage was pure black and quite comfortable. Thalia, who had been transformed into a pure black mare, was pulling it. Nico was looking outside the window. He had never been this close to the royal palace before. Too soon, the carriage reached the palace gates. Nico took a deep breath to gather his courage and opened the door.

Music, colours, chatters. He stood still for a moment, looking at all the people in beautiful costumes and the huge white palace that stood in front of him. If Thalia hadn't huffed impatiently (and loudly!) behind him, he could have stayed there all night. It felt like a dream come true.

As soon as he entered the ball room, however, he realised he didn't know what to do. He couldn't dance, and he definitely couldn't dance like a girl. Nico decided to go sit in a bench close to the table with the foods and drinks. He was so immersed in watching the people dancing in their costumes that he didn't realise someone had sat beside him.

-Hello. What's your name?

The person that had just spoken was a boy dressed all in blue, his face covered by a mask. The waves on his clothes suggested that he was dressed as the sea.

-Nico.

The boy raised his eyebrows and Nico mentally cursed. He was wearing a flipping _dress_ and there were freaking _braids_ in his hair but he couldn't remember that he was dressed as a girl!

-It's short for Nicole. What's yours?

Nico knew that he was speaking in a way too informal language, but it's not like he had been taught how to behave in situations like these. Luckily for him though, the boy didn't seem to mind.

-My name's Percy, you know, like the prince. These parties sometimes get really boring, don't you think? Speaking so formally to everyone, dancing with girls whose names I don't even know… What about you Nico? Why aren't you dancing?

-I don't dance. In fact, I've never been to parties like this before.

-Really? Well, I know a rather nice place on the roof where we can escape from the party and talk. That is, if you aren't scared of heights.

Nico had wanted to go to one of these parties his whole live, however now he didn't even hesitate when he answered.

-Sure.

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Nico was unlike any girl that Percy had ever met. Any other girl would have thought him extremely rude if he talked normally and would have almost walked away from him at the mention of going to the roof. The almost was just because of him being a prince,

Nicole, however, was different. After just a few minutes they were talking to each other as if they had been friends all their lives. Percy didn't need to pretend, he was himself while he was talking to her. The only other person with whom he could be himself was Grover, and they had both known each other since they were babies.

Suddenly the bells of the clock tower started ringing, showing that it was a quarter to midnight.

-Oh. I have to go now Percy, I have to get home before midnight.

-Can't you stay just a while longer?

-I wish I could, but I really have to go now.

-Can I at least walk you to your carriage?

-Sure.

They walked in silence, which gave Percy plenty of time to think. Despite knowing her for just a few hours, he really liked Nicole. In fact, maybe he liked her more than just like a friend. Maybe he lo-

-Bye Sea Guy.

Percy looked up and saw that he and Nicole were standing beside a black carriage. Nico was smiling at him. That moment, he realized that he really loved Nico. The hours that he had spent with her had been the best hours of his day.

He leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

For a moment that seemed to last for hours, they both just stood there. Then Nico kissed Percy on the cheek and entered her carriage, which left as soon as the door was closed. Percy looked at it until it turned the road and disappeared. Just then he noticed the black shoe lying in front of him.

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**To be continued…**

**Sorry I took so long to update. A lot of things happened. Don't worry though, I didn't abandon this fic. Also, I'll try to update more often from now on. Please review.**

**Magic_Sofia**


	6. Chapter 6

**This isn't really a chapter. I've ran out of ideas so I'm abandoning this story. Sorry to everyone that read this. I just can't think of anything else to write. On a completely different note, Happy April's Fool! Warning: this chapter contains Grimm violence. Not much though.**

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Chapter 6

Nico was sitting on top of the olive tree in the garden, the same one where he had met Thalia. He had changed back to normal clothes as soon as he got home which, due to the fact that he had to walk the last two miles on foot because of a certain carriage disappearing, took an hour and a half. The streets were deserted, everyone was at the ball.

The ball. That stupid freaking ball. How crazy was he? He had kissed a boy!

-I still don't know what the big deal is. I mean, it's not like he's going to recognize you or anything. You really looked like a girl and I doubt that that boy has ever seen you before. In fact, seeing as your stepsisters didn't even see you, you're as safe as if you had stayed at home.

Thalia was right, he told himself, there was no reason to worry.

-However, there's always the possibility that you've fallen in love with that boy.

Nico glared at Thalia.

-Denial is proof!

Thalia laughed (at least, that is what Nico thought she did) and she flew away.

Nico couldn't sleep that night. He spent the whole night awake, thinking about the ball.

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Persephone was very upset. Of course, she knew it would be a masked ball, but she thought that people would at least leave their faces uncovered so that other people could tell who they were. Especially the prince. How was she supposed to make him fall in love with one of her daughters if she didn't know who he was?

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sight of a poster on the wall. A smile appeared on her face as she read it. She stood there for a few minutes, memorizing everything that was written in the poster, and then walked as fast as she could towards her house. Her daughters now had another chance.

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-You've finally met a girl you like, and you let her go without asking her surname, address, or _anything_ that would help us find her?

-You don't ask questions like that to someone you just met! It would seem like I was interrogating her or something!

Grover sighed. He couldn't believe it.

-Well, how do you expect to find her then? If you spread signs asking for Nicole, every single girl will come to the palace to try to convince you that she is Nicole.

Percy stared at the black shoe in his hand, thinking. Suddenly, he lifted his head.

-We could put a sign for a lost shoe, and say that I will be going to marry the girl whose foot this shoe fits.

Grover looked at Percy like he had never seen him before.

-Percy, there are probably _hundreds_ of girls with Nicole's foot size. And since when have you ever wanted to _marry_ someone?

-I know. However, not all the girls look like Nicole or sound like her. We can put a catch in the poster, something which means I don't really have to marry the girl if she's not Nicole. Because, Grover, I really want to marry her. I know I have known her only for a short time, but I want to spend the rest of my life with her.

-You'll have to go to hundreds, maybe thousands of houses to find her.

-I know.

Grover sighed, but Percy saw a smile in his face when he answered.

-Okay, you win.

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-What will we do if the shoe doesn't fit, Mom?

Persephone had just told her daughters about the poster.

-Annabeth, answer your sister.

-You'll just have to cut your foot if it's too big or stretch it if it's too short. Not that you are going to do that anyway, because I'll go first, being the oldest.

Rachel stuck her tongue out. Nico, who had been standing in the corner of the room, quietly got up and went to the garden.

He was suddenly glad that Persephone didn't like him. She really seemed desperate about one of her daughters marrying the prince. What kind of mother would make her own daughters cut off their own foots? Besides, it's not like they were going to manage to marry the prince. He had heard rumours that there were some girls whose foot had fitted the shoe and he hadn't married them. He must be looking for someone specific, probably a girl he met at the ball. And left her shoe.

He had arrived with just one shoe, a small part of his brain told him. The rest of his brain, however, just laughed at that idea.

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Persephone was on her doorstep, waiting for the prince to arrive. Luckily, her house wasn't one of the first to be visited, so she had already gathered some information about the girl the prince was looking for. Short black hair and the foot size wasn't much to go on, but it did help her a lot. Rachel and Annabeth had both complained when she had had their hair cut and painted black. Persephone was sure they would thank her later for that. What was the loss of hair when compared to being the princess?

That's when a little boy came running, announcing the arrival of the prince. Persephone hurried in, not wanting to look like she had been waiting for the prince.

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Grover was starting to get bored. This was the hundredth house or so that they visited. He was really starting to regret having agreed with Percy's choice. He looked at Percy, he didn't seem to mind that that they had gone past a hundred houses and would probably have to go past a hundred more before they would find his princess. He must really love her. Grover sighed and prepared for another round of "Don't you recognise me? I'm the girl you're looking for!" and "My foot has grown a few inches since yesterday." Percy knocked on the door.

-My Highness! Welcome to our humble home.

Grover rolled his eyes. He didn't know how Percy could take this.

-Thank you. Do you happen to have any daughters around my age?

They had started asking that after a woman had insisted that her ten-year-old daughter was the girl Percy was searching for.

-Why yes, I happen to have two daughters, Annabeth and Rachel. Please, do come in.

The two daughters in question were waiting in the living room, looking as if they had spent the last two hours getting ready. Someone must have guessed that they were looking for girls with short, black hair because in the last eleven houses that they had visited all the girls had had black short hair.

Grover, who had stopped talking after the twentieth house, handed the shoe to the youngest one who took it from him greedily and went to another room to put it on. Why did she need to go to another room to put on a shoe, he really didn't know.

Percy was staring at a raven that had just landed on the windowsill while he waited for the girl to put on her shoe. He knew that Grover thought that this was pointless, but he wasn't going to give up. He was sure that he was going to meet Nicole before the end of the week.

The girl came back. The shoe fitted her perfectly. Percy was surprised. This girl filled all the criteria. Could it be this the girl he was looking for?

-Coo, coo. Look, there's blood in the shoe, this is not the right… Styx, does anyone know a word that rhymes with shoe and means something like person?

Percy looked at the window in surprise. Had that raven just talked? He glanced at Grover, but he didn't seem to have heard anything.

-Screw the rhyme. Just look at the girl's shoe, you freaking idiot!

He was sure that it had been the crow this time. He stared at it with his mouth open until he realized what it had just said and looked at the girl's foot. A trickle of blood was running in the right side of the shoe. His eyes widened. Had that girl just cut her own foot so that it could fit the shoe?

Grover, who had followed Percy's gaze, stepped forward and grabbed the shoe from the girl's foot. It was covered with blood on the inside. The girl's foot was missing the toes. Grover turned a sickly shade of green. Percy quickly grabbed his arm and they left without saying a word.

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Annabeth and Rachel were crying as if they had just had their toes cut off, which was true in Rachel's case. Persephone was shouting at Rachel, her face as red as Rachel's hair used to be. Thalia smiled. What a bunch of jerks. She left them to cry and shout and flew outside, where Nico was sitting on top of the tree.

-Did you see them? I mean, the girl cuts her toes off and forgets to clean her shoe! And even if she had managed to clean the blood, it wouldn't take long for the prince to figure out that she was missing some toes. They really thought that they were going to get away with _that?_

Nico wasn't listening to her. He had seen the shoe and he had heard the prince's voice. The boy that he had met in the ball was the prince. And he wanted to marry him.

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**And that's the end of the chapter. Please review. Also, can anyone come up with a better title for this story?**

**Magic_Sofia**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own PJO or Cinderella. Can this be a disclaimer to end all future disclaimers?**

Chapter 7

Percy was sitting on his bed. He had gone back to the palace after the incident with that girl cutting her own foot. He couldn't believe someone would cut their foot and marrying someone they didn't love just for the sake of being a princess and later a queen. Maybe romantic love didn't exist at all. Maybe he was just being stupid with his dream about marrying Nicole. Maybe she had already forgotten about him and the ball.

A part of his mind, however, replayed in his head the hours that he had spent with Nicole and convinced him that she definitely wouldn't forget him. But how would he find her then? His previous attempt had failed miserably. Percy banged his head against the wall.

He didn't want to be a prince. He wanted to be a normal boy. He envied all the kids who thought that life as a prince was the best thing that there could ever be.

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-The prince is in love with you?

Nico and Thalia were on the graveyard with Bianca. They had just told Bianca what had happened in the ball and at her stepmother's house. Nico cringed. He was afraid that would be his sister's reaction.

-That's so sweet!

Nico looked at his sister in surprise. This wasn't what he expected at all.

-We have to find a way to make him meet Nico. What exactly can you do with your magic? - Thalia said

-Well…

-I think you didn't understand me. The _prince_ is in love with me.

-_Ti ho sentito la prima volta_, Nicky. Now Thalia, I wonder if you could…

Nico sat on top of a tombstone. He certainly hadn't expected that to be his sister's reaction.

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Nico had almost fallen asleep when his sister and Thalia came back. He knew that he should at least go with them when they were deciding about his life, but he didn't believe they could find a way for the prince to meet him. Besides, the prince wasn't in love with him he was in love with Nicole. For all he knew, as soon as Percy found out that he was a boy he would throw him in jail or worse.

-Nico.

Nico turned around to look at Bianca. She was standing next to a girl around his age, with eyes and hair exactly like his. The girl looked exactly like Nicole.

-Who the hell is that?

-For your information, I can hear you. And speak. Although that is probably obvious to you now. - said the girl.

-Thalia?!

-Yep. This is me in human form. Unfortunately, I happen to look very much like you. That sucks. Wait, maybe I look more like Bianca when she was my age.

She looked at Bianca hopefully. Bianca shook her head.

-What is your plan? Or have you just got as far as to make Thalia look like Nicole?

Bianca looked at Thalia and rolled her eyes. She was starting to become too much like Thalia, Nico thought.

-Of course we have a plan, _scemo_. Thalia will go to the palace and try to get in. She looks so much like Nicole and knows things that just Nicole knows, so they'll surely let her in.

Bianca looked pointedly at Nico at this part.

-You will tell her everything that happened, so that the prince believes that she is Nicole. You will also accompany her as Nicole's brother. Thalia will then talk to the prince and if the prince really thinks that she is Nicole at the end of an hour, you come back. If not, then you have to do something to show him that you're Nicole, Nico.

-Something as in…

-We've already figured at least 50% of your life, the least you can do is figure out the other 50%! -Thalia shouted.

-Okay, there's no need to shout! Let's go to the freaking palace already, I'll tell you all you need to know when we get there.

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Grover was walking with Percy inside the castle when he heard something.

-What's that? - Percy asked.

Grover hesitated before answering. He knew how depressed Percy had been after the whole cut-foot-to-fit-shoe incident.

-It's probably just some girl who's trying to convince the guards that she's Nicole.

Grover tried to say that causally, but failed miserably. Percy stopped walking and looked at him.

-Has this been happening a lot?

Grover nodded.

-I want to look.

Grover turned, but Percy was already at the window, looking down at the door. They were on the first floor, so they could see what was going perfectly.

A girl with short black hair was trying to convince the guards to let her in. A boy, probably the girl's brother by the looks of it, occasionally interfered to tell the guards something. Their voices carried up, so that they could hear what they said. The usual.

Grover turned, meaning to suggest to Percy to continue their walk in the gardens, when he saw his friend's face. Percy was smiling, a true smile, for the first time in two days.

-It's her! It's her Grover! That's Nicole!

He ran towards the gate, leaving a very confused Grover standing by the windows.

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Nico held his breath as he entered the palace for the second time. Of course, the last time he had entered by the main gates, not by climbing the wall that led to the gardens.

-How can humans do anything without wings? They're stupid and can't fly, it's a miracle that they've survived this long.-Thalia muttered.

Nico put a hand over her mouth. He could hear voices coming from the other end of the garden. He and Thalia quickly climbed the nearest tree, which happened to be an olive tree. Thalia started cursing at dresses, so Nico put his hand over her mouth again. This time, she bit him. Nico glared at her.

-She looked so much like Nicole, Grover. I can't even recognize Nicole anymore!

-Well, maybe you could try to forget about her. I mean, what are the odds that you'll ever see her again?

Nico smiled. The prince loved him! He was so happy he didn't even notice what was happening until he heard Grover exclaim. Thalia had managed to fall from the tree.

Nico, Grover and Percy looked at her with their mouth open, but Thalia pretended she didn't see any of them as she got up and cleaned her dress. She then turned to Grover and put her hand forward.

-Hi! My name's Nico, short for Nicole. Sorry for any inconvenience I might have caused. I just wanted to see Percy and, well, climbing up the garden wall is way easier than entering through the main gates. You should probably do something about that.

Grover just stared at Thalia with his mouth open. He seemed to have forgotten how to speak. Nico, on top of the olive tree, shared Grover's surprise. Percy was the first to get over the shock.

-Nico?!

Thalia blushed. How the hell did she manage to blush? Was she a professional actress or something? Thalia was a box of surprises, thought Nico.

-Hi Percy. I heard you were looking for me.

They both stared at each other for a few seconds.

-I'll just...umm...go count leaves or something.

Grover hurried off, glancing back occasionally at the couple.

-Do you want to sit down?

Thalia nodded and she and Percy sat down on a bench not far from the olive tree were Nico was hiding. Percy looked at the girl sitting next to him and smiled. They sure had a lot to talk about.

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**And so arrives the end of yet another chapter. In fact, this will probably be the penultimate chapter. **** Thanks to everyone that is reading and reviewing and following and favouriting (which isn't even a word!). Special thanks to Mitzuna for her awesome review :) Thalia's also my favourite character in this story. Oh, I almost forgot: The Italian means "I heard you the first time" and "silly(or stupid)".**

**Magic_Sofia**


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